Moving On
by MootheQuackingCow
Summary: Scully has been recently murdered, and Mulder must cope with her death. But when a red haired German Sheperd is found at the crime scene, he wonders what connections she has to Scully's death...and why she seems to act so humanlike. MSR.
1. Chapter 1

**Blarglesnorch. Yeah, well, I don't FEEL like doing my other story now. So there. :P**

**Disclaimer: Blaaah, you all know the drill. Don't sue me. TT**

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"Aargh!" I hate that feeling now, since I've woken up to it for almost a month. God, it's so _cold_…

She nudges me again, this time with more force. I mutter a curse under my breath and try to shove her off. She growls defiantly and snaps at me ear.

"Mmumph…gitoff…" I slur as I fling my body towards the clock to check the time. 6:15 AM. _Perfect._

All of a sudden, I really don't feel like going to work today.

She growls and whines a bit. I swear, I think that dog can read my mind. Of course, _she_ would've just dismissed it as an animalistic instinct or something. But I don't wanna think about _her_ now. Just focus on getting out of bed, Mulder, don't think about that. The wound is still too fresh.

It's been 27 days exactly. I've counted.

And with her being gone…it's all my fault. She's told me in the past to stop blaming myself, but I can't. This's too much. Too much pain. Sort of like how I felt when Samantha disappeared.

She used to save me from myself, from my mind, from the bottomless pit of grief that I always seem to come so dreadfully close to, if not fall into completely. My partner, friend…I can't think of the other possibility. I never told her. I could've said something; could've run on my instincts. But I waited until it was too late.

Her murder was a complete shock; Skinner called me from his cell with the news.

"Yessir?" I answered, making sure to check my caller ID before I answered. Who knows who would try to extract information from me, threaten me…

"Agent Mulder, something's happened. You'd better come down here right away," he greeted with his gruff, bear-like voice.

"What is it?"

"It's Scully. Just get over here as soon as you can." And with that, the line went dead.

A chill went through my spine. Well, hell, that could mean _anything_. My mind and heard raced as I grabbed my trench coat from its current residence on the couch…

I shake myself out of the past. I can't bring those horrid memories back. It hurts so much. I chide myself. I'm gonna be late if I keep this up.

Dog leaps out of the bed, her tail wagging so forcefully that I wait for it to fly off of her rear end. I grin.

"Y'hungry, Dog?" I ask. Her tail wags even harder.

Dog. Kinda a stupid name for her, but I don't wanna get too attached to her. I don't need her to jump in front of a speeding truck…I don't want to lose her too.

She was found at the crime scene. Skinner was the first to spot her, red fur mangled and spattered with blood. It was a pathetic sight. Skinner took out his phone to call Animal Control, but I stopped him. I walked slowly and warily toward the gory animal, wondering if she knew…

Her ears immediately perked up when she heard my gentle footsteps. She jumped up and lunged toward me. Assuming that she was attacking me, I held out my arm to protect myself. Instead, she tackled me and lapped at my face the way a normal, docile canine would. Her tail wagged a mile a minute above her.

A cold, wet nose nudges my ankle. Dog looks up at me with her blue eyes. Sea-blue. Scully-blue. Beautiful blue. I shake my head. I'm losing myself in the eyes of a _dog_. So here eyes are the sane color. Big deal. I can't dwell on it.

I mess up her fur a little as I pet her, but she never minds.

"Good dog," I murmur.

She nuzzles my leg, and I walk into the kitchen to grab some canned dog food. Her tail wags some more as I open the can and set it on the floor in front of her. Of course, I never bought a bowl for her. Like I said, I don't wanna get too attached. I'll probably call a shelter tomorrow morning and dump her off in there.

Of course, I've been saying that for the past 27 days.

Somehow, I just feel so…connected with her. The fact that she saw what happened to Scully, but could never tell, was a strong reason to like her. It was like a secret that only she, the trees, god, and Scully herself would ever know. I almost feel like it's my duty to uncover it.

And that's what I've been doing. The case I've been diligently working on for the past month involved trying to find the bastard that was guilty of Scully's death. It was difficult, because there wasn't really any substantial evidence to prove anything or investigate anywhere.

Skinner's told me to take a break. Plenty of times. But I can't; I_ need _to keep working. Keep my mind from it. Stay far away from the grief. Skinner says that if I'm trying to get my mind off of it, it's pointless to work on her case.

He just doesn't get it. He just doesn't understand what this case means to me. This is my last case with her, _for_ her…

And my last case at the FBI.

I see a wet drop fall to the floor as I watch dog eat. I can't tell if it's from an upstairs leak or if it's my own tears. But I don't care anyway.

Dog whimpers. Sorrow is shining in her eyes. No, Mulder, not sorrow, she's just a dog, just an animal…

She pads towards me and lies down in front of me with her head resting on her paws and looks up at me. She whines again.

Damnit, she's giving me the puppy face.

I feel like crying.

So I do.

She stays in front of me as I sink lower on my knees and sob.


	2. Chapter 2

**gasp My first story that ISN'T rated M! XD**

**Disclaimer: Same applies.**

Showers. Showers feel good, showers feel nice, relaxing…

The steam clears my mind as well as my sinuses. The constant pressure on my back from the water soothes my aching, stiff muscles.

I think I'm gonna pray today. It's not like me to go to church, but I need to talk to Scully; I miss her a lot right now. It's ironic how I feel like I need to go to church when I'm so angry at God or whoever is the true Supreme Being. Why _did_ He take her away? It doesn't make sense; it was unfair…

I hear a scratching sound at the door. I turn the soothing faucet off and step out, grabbing a towel and wrapping it around myself. I open the door to see a whining Dog looking at me. She starts wagging her tail as she meanders in as if it's _her_ bathroom.

"What the…" I start as Dog pushes past me and starts lapping at the water on the floor. "Dog, c'mon, gitout."

She stops and just looks at me. I swear, sometimes I think that dog _knows_ something…God knows _what_, but she sure as hell knows _something_…

She walks up to me and sniffs my feet. She looks up with that goddamned puppy face again. Just sitting there. Staring.

Great. Now I'm having a stupid staring contest with a _dog_.

I stand there for what seems to be hours, when in reality it's probably only been a minute or two.

She gives in first. Grinning goofily to myself, I dry off with the towel I was wearing. I look down at her.

That canine is still staring at me; now with great interest. I lock eyes with her once again as I dry off. I snatch my razor as Dog gawks awkwardly at me. I wonder if she's sick or something…

All of a sudden, her tail starts wagging uncontrollably. I stare at her with a raised eyebrow. Her eyes are bright and animated. She barks a few times, then tries to knock me down with razor in my hand. She succeeds.

"OOF!" I yell. "What the hell is WITH you, Dog! Gitoffame!" I grunt as I try to pry her off. She barks happily and hops off as quickly as she lunged at me.

I look in the mirror to make sure I didn't cut myself in the process of shaving while a heavy animal throws herself at me. Nothing. Oh, lucky me.

My thoughts drift to when Scully first got abducted. I recall the vampiric woman I had an affair with; God, was _that_ a mistake. I remember sitting there with Scully's cross in my hand as they tried to revive the woman. Idiot, blowing the house up like that. I chided myself then. Who is the _real_ idiot in all this, Mulder? Of course, I couldn't even bring myself to answer it; to come to grips with my guilt, my faults…I made a mistake, and I vowed to never make the same one again.

And then, Diana came along.

It was about a year after Scully's cancer was diagnosed, and while fighting it, lost her fertility. Diana then strides confidently into my life, and I made the same goddamn mistake I made before.

I gave her my heart. _Again!_ Idiot! Then she had to go and get herself murdered…I think Scully was almost _pleased _by it.

Of course, when she told me the bad news, she seemed chagrined about it. She knew I loved her, and that it would be painful. But now, as I look back, I believe it was for the best. I realized something that day. I realized the face that I was in love with Special Agent Dana Katherine Scully.

Her cancer was basically the reason for almost everything. That and her abduction. Those fueled my quest for the truth…

I stare at my reflection. It scares me-deeply. I don't even know who I am anymore. My hair is longer, my face tanned from long hours of nonstop fieldwork; I have the signs of a starting beard on my chin. My eyes are tired looking; not the same hazel that they used to be.

Who _is_ that?


	3. Chapter 3

I just called in sick. I need to stay home; take a break, just like Skinner told me to.

I recall momentarily how the conversation went.

I dialed the number with weak hands, trying to think up an excuse to stay home. Then, a miracle headache formed in my tired and depressed mind. Getting worse and worse as I listened to the rings on the phone, I realized I have never been this grateful for a headache in my life.

I was slightly taken aback by the gruff low voice that belonged to Skinner that immediately answered. I'm used to his secretary answering instead.

"Assistant Director Walter Skinner's office, Skinner speaking, how may I help you?"

"Uhh, sir? It's Mulder…"

"Agent Mulder, what can I do for you?"

"I have a headache-"

"You can stay home, you don't need an excuse. What you need is the break."

"But, sir, I wasn't-"

"Have a good day off, Agent Mulder."

Beeeeep.

Yeah. Really weird.

I look behind me. Dog stands there looking at me and whines softly. I can tell she wants to go out for a walk, but the leash being embedded in her mouth gives it away too. Smart little dog…

There's something else that catches my eye hooked on her tooth. It's golden and quickly caught my eye with its enticing gleam.

I walk toward her and pull the leash and the golden thing out of her jaw's grip.

I gasp when I see what it is.

"Oh, my God…" I whisper, my eyes growing as wide as an alien ship.

It was Scully's bloodied cross.

She was always an avid believer in God; her faith in Him got her though her inoperable cancer only five years before. It seems like a lifetime ago…

Dog's tail wags almost solemnly. No, Mulder, not solemnly, just a dog…get a grip on yourself, man…

I take the cross and all of a sudden become furious with myself. Why didn't I see it before! Why didn't I see any golden chain around her perfect, bloodied neck…damn my…screw it, you can't beat yourself up on this…get a grip…don't fall apart…that's the last thing she'd want.

I sit down against the wall, just staring blankly at the cross…staring…now the glow is almost hypnotic, entrancing me with all of its joyful and sorrowful memories it carries…

Dog whimpers. Her eyes are really big. Wonder if she's sick or something…oh well, don't get too worried about it…

She nudges my leg softly. _C'mon, Mulder, get up…don't wallow here…_she says—no. NO. Stop it, Mulder, she didn't say anything. She's just a dog, how many times must you tell yourself! She's just a dog…but why do I always get the feeling that she's trying to tell me something.

She does it again. All right, all right, I'll take you out on your motherf—

Brrrrrrrrrrrrring

No, God, not _now_…

I pick up the phone, checking my CID as usual.

…it's the autopsy clinic.

I immediately run to the phone. "Hello?"

"Hello, is this Agent Mulder?"

"That'd be me."

"We're with the autopsy cl—"

"I know, I saw on my CID."

The woman on the phone laughed nervously. "Yes, I'm sorry, of course you did."

"Any reason why you interrupted my life to call me?" I snap. What the hell was that for? You have no life in the first place, Spooky…

The woman seemed slightly taken aback as she continued. "We have a slight problem with Dana Scully here…"

My eyes grow wide again. Oh, fuck, what could that mean? Anything, you bastard…

"What is it?" I ask, almost breathless with worry.

"…the body's gone."


	4. Chapter 4

**Ooh, dontcha lurb cliffies? XD I know this story ain't that great, so lemmie know how to improve on it:D**

**And many things have kept me from writing (laziness), but it's getting there. :P**

**Disclaimer: It's always the same.**

My blood ran cold. No, it can't be…it _can't_ be…

Then my eyes grew wide. If her body's gone…then that means…

She was hiding something. The Truth. She was hiding the Truth still…and someone _really_ didn't want me to know what that truth was…

"…is there…is there any way you can find it…?"

"Unfortunately, we didn't even think of putting a tracker on her before we started, but we did find something quite unusual…"

"…and that would be…?"

"When she was shot…she didn't die…"

"…what the hell does that mean!"

"…she was already dead."

"…wait, WHAT!"

"She didn't die of the bullets, she died of th—" cracklecrackleshhhhhhhhbeeeeeeep….

Shit.

Someone cut off my phone line.

I hang up the phone in a rage. "Hey, Dog?" I ask. She wags her tail slightly in recognition.

"I know where we're gonna take a walk to, so just follow me, okay?" Great. I've been reduced to talking to a dog. AGAIN.

She barks and wags her tail. I attach the leash to her collar and pull on it, making sure it's secure. I walk outside with the German Sheppard in tow. She trots up next to me with bright eyes. I can't help but smile. No matter how worried I am.

_I wonder what happened to him. He seems really worried, his eyes are glittering with a fury and cowardliness I rarely see in him. I nudge his leg, trying to shock him out of his little trance. C'mon, Mulder, snap outta it, it's me, I'm here, it'll be okay…_

_Of course, he can't hear me. I'm a dog. And God knows why I'm a dog, but I suppose that whatever He had planned, it was for the best. Sure as hell'd better be…_

_He drags me along in a different direction than normal. He said he'd be taking me somewhere different, but I didn't really know what "somewhere different" was._

_He keeps walking past the park that we'd go in sometimes to play catch. I always hated catch as a kid…it's ironic how I adore it now…_

_Past the trees I always trot up to sniff at, even though I don't know why I do it…_

_I guess that if I'm to be a dog, I'll have to act like one…_

_Past a few unknown rocks that I all of a sudden start spontaneously barking at…damnit, Dana, get a hold of yourself. It's a rock. A ROCK. Nothing too scientific there…a rock…Mulder looks down at me and starts laughing. Ha ha ha, yeah, Spooky, really funny, when I get out of this leash, I'm gonna bite your ass so hard you won't be able to walk for the next week and a half…_

_I growl slightly, trying to warn him. He continues laughing and messes up my fur a bit. Damn…that always wins me over. It always did…when he'd give me little noogies because I was so short..._

_I shake myself out of the memories. They hurt. A lot. I'm sure they hurt Mulder just as much…_

_I wonder why we're walking so far…we've passed the park he normally takes me to a few minutes ago…he's got that determined fixated look on his face…gotta be something important, then._

_He crosses the street with me. Okay, _now_ I'm getting worried. Where on God's holy earth is he taking me! Better not be to the vet, or I'll bite his ass so damn hard…_

_No. It's not the vet._

_It's the autopsy clinic._

Dog barks and wags her tail excitedly. I take a deep, shuddering breath and pull her behind me. I walk in…

Only to find that I _can't_ walk in.

Fuckin' door's locked…

This REALLY hasn't been my day, has it?

I sigh and turn around, ready to go back, when Dog barks insistently.

I turn, only to find that she's found a set of fingerprints that she's barking at like it's gonna jump out and eat her…

I bend down next to her and look closely at the set of fingerprints. I think of calling Skinner about it, but I don't think he'd care.

So I call the next best thing. Rather, the _three_ next best things.

I dial up the Lone Gunmen.

I get an answering machine.

"Frohike? If you're there, pick up the damn phone! I really need you three to do something for me, involving fingerprints—" more barking from Dog –"…and a…cigarette butt. I think we all know who these fingerprints belong to, but I still need to make sure of it. Call me—"

"We're on it, dude. Where're you at?" comes the immediate reply of a certain long haired Gunmen member.

I smile to myself. I can always count on the three geeks. "Over at the autopsy building…" I say, and tell them the address to it. They promise to be there as soon as they can and hang up.

Dog looks at me with a curious expression. She wags her tail, and I've known for a while that means she's telling me something. Why do I always ignore it? Maybe because I don't want to believe it…

And with that thought, I know I've changed in a way that I would never be able to come back from.


	5. Chapter 5

"Dude, cigarette butts? This's definitely the work of Mr. Smokey…" Langley mutters under his breath. I watch quietly as the three check over the provided evidence…provided…the Cancer Man couldn't have been so sloppy with his cleanup…he must _want_ to be found…

Dog barks and growls low in her throat. Her nose is drawn to the floor around the cigarette like a magnet. She looks up at me with those big blue orbs and wags her tail once. She cocked her head; she's telling me something…

An unraveled butt catches my eye. Kneeling down, I take the papery substance and unravel it further.

Words.

There's _words_ here.

I can't help but grin thankfully at the animal when I unraveled it fully and began to read.

_Mulder—_

_Your partner was killed under bizarre circumstances. As I heard from your phone call to the autopsy clinic—_

I stop reading for a moment. This guy was listening in on my conversation with that woman. He knows something about her body. He might have it. I'd bet he even cut off my phone line.

_--you were quite surprised. I have typed this message for a reason. This is not who you think is writing. Follow my bread crumb trail, Agent Mulder, and you just might be able to save the Truth._

Byers peers over my shoulder. "Betcha he was wearing gloves when he wrote it up. This guy sounds like our Cancer Man, Mulder," he whispers excitedly. I shake my head in thought.

"I don't think so…says here about it not being who I think it is. If it's not Smoking Man, it's someone trying to frame him."

"Oh, come on Mulder, you honestly think that someone's gonna try and frame the guy? He's got power!"

I grimace at the first part of the sentence and didn't really pay attention to the second. I miss Scully, but I gotta get over it. There's no sense in wallowing in my own self pity; I need to find her body.

The other half of the sentence finally registers in my brain. "Maybe it's not a case of power, but of a guilty conscience," I mumble.

I don't know who to believe anymore.

**Lone Gunmen hideout**

"Got a match. Thank God I bought that new fingerprint scanning system, the old one was getting bitchier every day."

"_You_ bought it? We all bought it, Doohickey!"

Frohike grunts in response and I grin at the sight. Ah, the good ol' days.

Dog darts through my legs and to the letter. Her eyes gloss over the words, almost as if she reads them and comprehends the letters written on the page. I shake my head at the sight; it's kinda funny.

Byers stares at the canine with me. "Remarkable animal you have there, Mulder." I nod absentmindedly. "Where'd you find her?"

My head snaps up. "Next to Scully's body."

Byers raises his eyebrows. "You think she had anything to do with—"

"No. There wasn't any blood in her teeth, I checked."

Byers nods. "Ah. Well, when we find the body, you might wanna look into that."

_Ohshit. Now they think I killed her? …me? This is so confusing. And who's writing this letter? The fact that it was wrapped up inside a cigarette points all fingers to the Cancer Man. This can't be right, who'd want to frame him? I glance up at Mulder, who shakes his head again at Byers and said something about IF they find my body. I growl slightly. _

_We're going to find it. No matter what it takes. I hold answers that I can't tell Mulder in this form. Secrets. The disease that ravaged my body and killed me before I was shot, it had the Truth. If it even WAS the Truth. _

_Why did God put me here? I never believed in reincarnation…well, I never believed in a lot of things. I guess that now it's happening to me, I should start. Shouldn't I? This body, it confuses me. Hinders me. I need to get out, I can't stay as a dog. Maybe if I figure out how to let Mulder know that it's ME, then I can tell him other things too. I absentmindedly scratch in the dirt with my paw. I looked up and saw the four boys staring at me with gaping mouths. I narrow my brow as much as I can. What, have they never seen a dog befo—oh. _

_I blink down at the dirt._

_Sure enough. There's Mulder's name._

**Hey people! For once, I have updated. From about four months ago…eheh. Yeah. Sorry about that. Ahem, anyway, more chapters will be coming a lot more quickly now that I've gotten out of my writers block. So. Yeah. :P**

**Merry Christmas, peace out.**


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